Sunday, September 14, 2008

Meet Marty And Other Creatures

Do you like my new "mascot?"  Given to me a few days ago by Nathan and Daniel.  Nathan actually named him.  The family know that I adore Meerkats - well all animals but I have a particular fondness for these little creatures.

Becky and Dean had taken the boys to a placed called Paradise Park - a wildlife centre with other attractions and Marty came from there.  He sits on the bookcase in my bedroom and when I wake in the mornings he always makes me smile.

Naturally they took lots of photos on their day out and I can only share a few with you today:-

      

  

   

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Talking of the boys, I was reading nursery rhymes to them the other day.  We came to Humpty-Dumpty.  Daniel pointed and said "look, Nana, an egg."

This made me wonder.  I know that fairy stories are pretty universal. Some countries might have some we do not know about but tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast and the like are known the world over (also helped by Disney).

Is it the same with nursery rhymes?  Do many countries share the same nursery rhymes?  What about my friends in America.  Do you have humpty-dumpty?  If so, is he portrayed as an egg?  He certainly is in every rhyme book over here.  I wondered if humpty was unique to the British Isles or whether he is known everywhere.

What other nursery rhymes did you or do you read to your children/grandchildren?  Do you have a favourite from your own childhood?

It would be interesting to know.   Please leave your answers in comments.

Love

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26 comments:

Anonymous said...

great pics jeannette.  my mum would love marty  lol.she has so many cuddlys and dolls   they are taking  over  lol     take care  love  mort  xx

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, we have Humpty Dumpty and he is an egg, Little Red Riding hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, all of them I think probably had origins in Europe.  The pictures of the boys are wonderful as well as the animals.  I love your Marty!  Linda

Anonymous said...

Like you I love Meercats ,and love to watch them ,such busy creatures ,and yes My children and I enjoyed all the nursery rhymes as did my Grandchildren ,they gave us something to ponder on ,I mean Hey diddle diddle ,the cat and err the fiddle ? and a cow jumping over the moon ,I ask you ? but what fun ,and it does stretch the imagination lol I love the pictures of the boys having fun ..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Just love that cute Marty--the best kind of wild anilmal--one that won't bite.

Nursery rhymes are not universal. Oh, the idea is, but a great deal of the culture. If my grandmother had been the sort to hand down nursery rhymes, I might have learned some German ones. Most of the nursery rhymes that I know though, I learned from books. Although my dad used to sing a song called "Throw Them out the Window" that incorporated nursery rhymes.

;^) Jan the Gryphon

Anonymous said...

We do have Humpty Dumpty, and he is an egg.  We also have "Little Miss Muffett" and "Peas Porridge Hot..." and "Little Jack Horner."  I do think many of our nursery rhymes are of British influence.  Marty is very cute, and how nice of the boys to give you such a meaningful gift.  ~~Kath~~

Anonymous said...

love the mascot..take care
cindi

Anonymous said...

Marty is so cute and a wonderful gift from the boys. Cute pictures. I see several have already given you the answer to your question at least from the US. Have a nice afternoon. Hugs, helen

Anonymous said...

Hi Jeannette ,I loved one two three four five once I caught a fish alive ,six seven eight nine ten then I let him go again ,why did you let him go cause he bit my finger so ,which finger did he bite ,this little finger on the right .!!! Theres so many lovely ones ,that I've told my children and Grandchildren ,hopefully they will keep getting passed on  down the genarations ....love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

PS Marty is sweet and liked seeing the boys too ....love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

Jeannette Marty is lovely ~ I love to watch the programmes on TV about Meerkats ~ they are always so busy and really entertaining ~ Love the photographs ~ the boys look like they are having fun ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, all the Kings horses and all the Kings men couldn't put Humpty together again." He was indeed an egg.  We have them all, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jack Sprat, Jack & Jill, Little Jack Horner, Old Mother Hubbard, the list goes on and on. I love your Meerkat...we saw them at the San Diego Zoo.  I understand the Zoo here in Tacoma has them now too...I just haven't been out there in awhile.  Linda in Washington  

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos Jeannette.  I love meerkats too, but can't watch the TV prog. because of the sad bits :-(
I do believe that Humpty Dumpty refers to one of our Kings, but can't think off hand, which one, so I would expect this to be an English only nursery rhyme.
One of my all time favourite books is A.A. Milne's 'When We Were Very Young'.  'Sand Between The Toes' and 'The Four Friends' are my favourite, but I love all of his whimsicalness. :-D
all the best
Freda

PS. WILL get back to my blog -  promise!

Anonymous said...

Oh how lovely for them to bring Marty home for you.  He is lovely.  I would smile too if I woke up to see Marty looking down on me.  Eileen x

Anonymous said...

Humpty Dumpty is popular here too.  And yes, he's an egg!
I lover Merrkats also.
Missie

Anonymous said...

Wonderful pics!
Yes we all share many of the same, but differ in a few I'm told.
Have a good upcoming week.
Hugs,
Sugar

Anonymous said...

each of my children had their favorite books I read them over and over to them now they lay in the hope chest for someday I will read them to my grandchildren
hugs
Sherry

Anonymous said...

I agree that fairy tales must be universal.  Humpty was an egg here for sure.
How sweet your little grandsons are.  I know they are a joy for you. Grandchildren are a gift.  'On Ya'  ma

Anonymous said...

I love those macaws - they're so comical!!!

We have a show here called Meekat Manor on Animal Planet.  Do you have it there?!  

~Amy

Anonymous said...

 I think many of my favorites came from Grimm Fairy Tales but I always read the Gnome books to my grandchildren and children.   They loved them.

                       Julie

Anonymous said...

I was brought up on Andrew Lang's Fairy Books.  Stories from many countries, some of them quite terrifying.  For light relief, Hillaire Belloc's Cautionary Stories, which still make me laugh.
Bunny x

Anonymous said...

I can see why you are so fond of the Meerkats, they are absolutely adorable!!!!  We have the same fairy tales you mention here in the states.  I can still recite Humptdy Dumpty..yes, I believe he was an egg.  I was always fond of the Dr Seuss stories although I don't think they qualify as a fairy tale.
Lisa

Anonymous said...

When I grew up, Humpty -Dumpty was indeed an egg, dressed (with all due respect) like King George the Third.
The Lion and the Unicorn is one of my flavorite as well.
Laini

Anonymous said...

Have you ever seen Meerkat Manor? I LOVE that show!!! I heard a lot of Grims tales growing up and I read them to Mandy as well. I liked Jack & Jill a lot for a Nursery Rhyme and my favorite Fairy Tale was, and still remains "Cinderella". We all want to be a princess, don't we? LOLOL!

The pictures are adorable :)

Pooh Hugs,
Linda

Anonymous said...

awwwww that is adorable and so are the boys thinking of their grandmum. ((((((((hugs)))))))))))))
Love ya,
Cindy xoxooxx

Anonymous said...

The photos are adorable Jeannette.

I am not sure i have a favourite one.....
hugs Jayne

Anonymous said...

lol im sure 'marty' from the journal 'heard at starbucks' would be thrilled to have a meerkat sharing his name lol beckie x